Government & Policy
State government, agencies, courts, budgets, and policy.
Federal Charges Filed Against Two NIH Researchers at Montana Lab Over Monkeypox Vials
Two scientists employed at a federal biosafety laboratory in Hamilton, Montana, have been charged with smuggling monkeypox virus samples into…
Montana GOP Senator Wylie Galt Pulls Property Tax Cap Initiative Weeks Before Signature Deadline
State Sen. Wylie Galt (R-Martinsdale) announced Monday that he is suspending his effort to place a property tax cap initiative…
Montana Utility Critics Argue State Leaders Are Leaving Ratepayers Exposed as Data Centers Expand
Critics of Montana’s rapidly growing data center industry are raising alarms that state regulators and elected officials have not done…
Montana High Court Splits 4-3, Compelling State Agency to Review American Prairie Bison Grazing Bid
The Montana Supreme Court ruled June 4 that the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation must conduct an environmental…
Daines Takes to Senate Floor to Advocate for Montana Native Katie Lane’s Federal Judgeship
Sen. Steve Daines went before his Senate colleagues on Thursday to make the case for confirming Katie Lane to a…
Gianforte Courts Washington State Businesses as Janicki Industries Plans $800M Montana Expansion
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte is actively recruiting businesses from Washington state, pointing to a landmark expansion by Sedro-Woolley-based Janicki Industries…
Government & PolicyGianforte Signs Montana onto Trump Administration’s Foster Care Partnership Initiative
Governor Greg Gianforte announced Monday that Montana has joined a Trump administration initiative aimed at improving outcomes for children in…
Idaho Firm’s Montana Data Center Permit Contradicts CEO’s Jobs Promises
An Idaho company seeking approval to build an artificial intelligence data center in Bonner, Montana, has submitted permit documents that…
Gianforte Administration Warns of Above-Normal Fire Danger Across Montana This Summer
Montana officials outlined a potentially demanding wildfire season at a Helena briefing Tuesday, pointing to dry snowpack, rising summer temperatures,…
National Homeless Count Falls Slightly in 2025, Though Long-Term Trend Points Upward
A federal point-in-time count conducted in January 2025 found roughly 745,652 people experiencing homelessness across the United States, a 3%…